6 Reasons We're Emotionally Attached to Our Favorite Mugs

Research into our visceral connections to some inanimate objects.

Nearly 60% of people said they had an emotional attachment to a favorite mug in a survey by the Heinz company. About 40% said their special mug was irreplaceable, and about one-third said they would be devastated if it broke.

But you probably didn’t need a survey to tell you that many of us become quite emotionally, irrationally attached to our favorite mugs. Take my boyfriend’s current mug of choice: It’s small, chipped and emblazoned with a hackneyed phrase, but his affection for it far surpasses any objective worth.

See, my 60ish boyfriend has been around since my grandson, Dylan, was born. But because we aren’t married, we careful grown-ups stopped short of referring to him as one of Dylan’s grandfathers. A couple of Christmases ago, Dylan, by then a second-grader, made a statement by picking out and paying for the “World’s Greatest Grandpa” mug himself.

Now it holds pride of place on the kitchen shelf.

Personally, I’m partial to a mug in an autumnal shade of orange, which reminds me of a lovely fall weekend my boyfriend and I spent in St. Germain, Wisconsin. Because both of our prized mugs have shared associations, just seeing one of us using his or her special mug can bring up warm, fuzzy feelings in the other. But woe be to either of us who has the audacity to actually drink from the other’s mug.

Maybe you cherish your own favorite mug and feel ultra-possessive about it. Here's the background on its deep psychological appeal:

Hey, That’s My Mug

Part of the pull is the simple sense of personal ownership. Several studies of the endowment effect—the tendency for people to overvalue their own possessions—actually looked at people’s valuations of their coffee mugs. Researchers found that people ascribed greater value to a mug when they owned it.

If you’ve ever grabbed another person’s prized mug in the break room or at a relative’s house, you know how intensely possessive mug owners can be. In the Heinz survey, one-sixth of participants admitted that they would sulk if someone else use their mug.

It Reminds Me of the Time…

Yet there's something more going on here: People are more likely to be obsessed with a favorite mug than, say, a favorite fork. One reason: Mugs are common gifts, souvenirs and keepsakes, so we often associate them with a beloved person, place, or time. The emotions the mug evokes can be potent, even if you aren’t aware of the source.

Toni Coleman, LCSW, CMC, a psychotherapist and relationship coach in McLean, Virginia, says she’s particularly attached to a sturdy, brown mug she has owned for years. “I acquired it one incredible summer I spent living at the beach when I was 22,” she says. “When I look at or drink from my mug, it evokes feelings associated with that summer. There’s just something about it that feels good and feels safe, even if it’s on an unconscious level...It provides continuity with the past and reminds me of who I used to be.”

My Mug Really Gets Me

Another notable thing about mugs is that many are embellished with slogans, quotes or logos, some of them inspirational or aspirational. Others just make you smile. Either way, many favorite mugs convey a personally meaningful message.

Certain mugs inform others about your identity and affiliations. A mug may proclaim your alma mater or favorite sportsteam, or let others know that you’re a dog or cat lover, proud parent, or rabid Star Wars fan. In other cases, the message is self-directed. Chicago psychotherapist Kelley Kitley, LCSW, has a collection of mugs, and the one she chooses at any given time depends on the type of encouragement she’s craving at the moment. “If I feel sluggish and need extra oomph, I’ll use my Wonder Woman mug,” she says. “If I need extra pep in my step at work, I’ll use my Boss Lady mug.”

Warm Mug, Warm Heart

Mugs also earn our affection because of the hot beverages they contain. Research shows that just wrapping your hands around a warm mug can conjure up warm feelings toward others. Pair that with the enticing flavors and aromas of coffee, tea, or cocoa, and you’ve got a richly rewarding experience. In addition, many hot drinks have chemical properties that keep us reaching for our mugs, day in and day out. Caffeinated coffee and tea (and sometimes even decaf, through the power of expectation) can boost alertness. There’s some evidence that the flavanols in cocoa may reduce mental fatigue as well.

(When you’re ready to wind down, preliminary studies suggest chamomile tea may help ease anxiety. And a mug of warm milk, while not a magic sleep elixir, contains the mix of protein and carbs that many dietitians recommend for a late-night snack.)

I Wake Up With My Mug

Sipping a hot beverage from a trusty mug is often part of a cozy, comforting routine. “We typically use mugs to get us going in the morning or to soothe us in the evening,” says Katherine Schafler, LMHC, a New York City psychotherapist and in-house therapist at Google. “Our mugs become these helpful, quiet, loyal sidekicks.”

Schafler likes to greet the day with caffeine-rich guayusa tea sipping from a bright yellow mug. “I get up early just so I can have a good chunk of time to myself,” she says. “I have an hour or two where I’m working and writing and reading, and it’s just me and my mug and the dogs at my feet. It’s such a peaceful time of day.”

Be in the Coffee Moment

Kitley also likes to rise early, between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m., to enjoy some quality time with her mug. “The ritual of brewing the coffee, holding the mug, and sipping the coffee is a mindful exercise for me,” says the business owner and mother of four. “The mug feels nice in my hands. The aroma of the coffee smells wonderful, and it tastes good. When I touch the mug, it’s warm and feels soothing. And when I set it down on the table, it makes a satisfying sound.”

Those mindful moments with her mug set a positive tone for the rest of the day, she says: "When I travel and I don’t have that morning ritual, drinking coffee just isn’t as fun for me.”

I agree and have two mugs I go to one casual (thick with cats) and one formal (of a beloved china pattern) and in addition to that I have a k-mart hair brush from 1983 that has survived with me all of these years so beloved that I have actually bought another to travel with just so I will not loose the other... Mental illness or quirky fun?

Well, here I go commenting again. My coffee mug is more like a latte' mug and it's just this really pleasant shade of red and it has a bit of an abstract modern design on it. It's very soothing and it feels like a friend. I have a blue one just like it and blue is my favorite color, yet I don't want the blue mug, I want the red one. Many times I wake up in the morning and I don't feel ready for the day, but when I reach for that mug and have my coffee, it gives me the emotional boost I need. Also, some mugs have an almost gritty texture, which, I really don't like-it reminds me of fingernails on a blackboard when my spoon comes in contact with it. My mug has a glossy, smooth finish and when I stir my coffee, it's a much nicer sound and feeling.

This quote is from Pete Pinnell's YouTube video Thoughts About Cups. "One of the great powers of the cup, the simple cup, is that it immediately enters the viewer’s most intimate zone. The cup right away develops a level of intimacy that we would reserve for a lover…not for a stranger."

Just wanted to thank you (belatedly) for recommending Pete Pinnell's YouTube video. As you know, it's 32 minutes long, so it took me a while to find time to watch it. But I'm so glad I did! Who would have thought a half-hour discourse on cups could be so fascinating?

Yes, mugs are special. I am a potter and I have so many handmade cups and mugs in my cabinet, each one connected to the hand, heart and soul of the maker. I even have several of favorites that I made myself. Like all potters, I find it simply does not feel good to drink out of commercial mugs. Cups and mugs are such an intimate art form, that we hold and touch with our lips. "When asked if my cup is half full or half empty, my only response is that I am thankful that I have a cup." (Sam Lefkowitz)

I just loved reading all of the comments about the favorite mugs here. I, myself, find I am particular about what I drink out of, and it extends to cold drinks as well. I only like soda or water from a glass. I wont choose plastic if I have the choice. It seemed quirky to me before but it just tastes better and allows me to enjoy it more. My daughter told me she prefers plastic because she smells her breath on the glass and she does not like that. :) It truly is a very intimate association.

We all have an opinion on this one. For me, it's mostly about how the cup or mug feels on my lips.
Then it's about how much it holds- like Goldilocks, it has to be "just right", neither leaving me unsatisfied or overfilled. The comfort of the handle matters too.
Lastly, it must be smooth and not too weighty.
My current fav is a squat, bone china mug, with peony roses on a dark red background. I just liked the colour first, but I've fallen in love. I wash it over and over again to use it, rather than use others from the shelf.

I have a favorite ceramic mug that's just the right size and heft for me. It also happens to have been my grandmother's mug--one of many--but I do fondly recall her drinking from it when I was younger. She passed away a few years back and it's one of the only things I claimed from her estate.

At present, I'm a mom to two very young daughters (1 and 4) and drinking from an open mug is all but impossible. It's either always in danger of being spilled or of being forgotten and the contents go ice cold! I drink from a sturdy travel mug to keep my coffee safe and warm but I do pine for the days when I can wrap my hands around my favorite mug again!

I am a potter and I have many mugs. Some I made but most of the ones I use are by other makers. Each has a story, a feeling, a particular energy about it. I cycle through favorites but there are a few that I treasure and I will be very sad when they get broken.

It's easy to realize why I'm so attached to my favorite mug. It is the first gift my daughter bought me with her own thought (not gran helping her pick out a gift for mommy and paying for it) and own money. She was 11. On one side it has Mom in pretty script surrounded by a heart, the opposite side has another heart which surrounds the words. Mom, my world blossoms every time I think of you. The rest of the mug shows a little bunny with a seed packet and flowers are scattered over the mug. 27 years later my daughter is a Mom with three beautiful children of her own. Over the years we've exchanged many gifts, but this mug is in a special category of its own.